The piece reads the Bulls warm-up result — a 50-point drubbing at Loftus — as confirmation that Rennie's All Blacks are legitimately dangerous heading into the Ellis Park opener, not just unbeaten against soft opposition. The author's argument is that the scoreline flatters a Bulls side four weeks into pre-season, but the manner of the performance — three halves without conceding, altitude absorbed, scrum and discipline both tidy — points to a New Zealand team that has genuinely rebuilt. Carter, Moorby and Barrett all pressed Test claims, while the loose forward unit of Lakai, Parker, Segner and Sititi looked cohesive and physical. Injury clouds over McKenzie, Jordan and Roigard are clearing, with Rennie cautiously optimistic on all three. The Boks enter on a 12-game winning streak, Kolisi's hamstring the one nagging concern on their side. The piece sets up a series framed as a rematch of recent World Cup history — and argues the contest is almost perfectly balanced.
All Blacks arrive in Johannesburg sharp, healthy and dangerous
A strong All Blacks warm-up performance at Loftus — 50 points, three halves without conceding — has the author framing the Greatest Rivalry opener as genuinely wide open, with Rennie's side looking sharp, healthy and tactically coherent against a Bok team riding a 12-game winning streak.
- Vodacom Bulls
- Loftus Versfeld
- New Zealand
- Springboks
- Siya Kolisi
- Rugby World Cup
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
Springbok attack coach Tony Brown will join Dave Rennie's All Blacks staff from 2028, but remains committed to helping South Africa win a third successive World Cup title before his departure.
Tony Brown to join All Blacks backroom staff in 2028 after Springbok contract ends
NZR have confirmed Tony Brown will join the All Blacks' backroom staff in 2028 on a two-year contract, with the Springboks attack coach set to depart after the 2027 Rugby World Cup. It is the third time NZR have pursued Brown, having previously been rejected during the Foster and Robertson eras.
Erasmus: winning stays non-negotiable, whatever the World Cup build-up demands
Erasmus has made his 2025 season intent explicit: rotation and World Cup-building happen inside a framework where winning remains the non-negotiable baseline. The piece breaks down what that means for squad management, the veterans' standing, and why the All Blacks series carries extra weight.
Hansen's Right to Back Himself — But the Boks' Five-Match Streak Tells a Different Story
Jean de Villiers acknowledges Hansen's logic but argues last year's results and performances make it hard to see the All Blacks closing the gap on the Boks — and the panel get genuinely animated over what a 2-2 series tiebreaker would even look like.
Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.